Reading

Reading's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, religion and ethnicity.

The population reached nearly 160,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Reading increased by 8.8%, from about 143,000 to 156,000.

The addition of almost 13,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Reading was home to, on average, 28 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Reading

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Reading increased by one year, from 32 to 33 years.

This area had a lower average age than the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 3,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just over 300.

About 14% of people in Reading are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Reading by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in home ownership

The percentage of Reading households that owned their home decreased from 66% to 55% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households rented privately, compared with 15% in 2001. The percentage of Reading households that rented through social housing schemes remained close to 16%.

The proportion of households that owned their home fell faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 73% in 2001 to 67% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 68% to 63%.

The rate of home ownership in Reading decreased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of households in Reading, the South East and England that owned their home, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

Reading saw the South East's second-largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.6%) people aged 16 to 74 in Reading said they were unemployed, compared with 2.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 58% to 56%.

Across the region, only Crawley saw a greater rise in the proportion of unemployed people (from 2.3% to 4.5%).

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of unemployed people, as the regional average grew from 2.3% to 3.5%.

The rate of unemployment in Reading increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Reading, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Reading, which comprised a cohabiting couple, remained close to 11% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31%) households had only one person, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage of households in Reading which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 32% to 31%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

Reading saw the South East's third-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.8%) households in Reading had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 8.5% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 28% to 30%.

Across the region, only Basingstoke and Deane (from 9.8% to 8.8%) and Oxford (from 7.7% to 7.0%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Reading

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 30% said they had no religion. The figure increased from 30% in 2001

The number of people in Reading that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 31,000 in 2001 to about 46,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 22% to 30% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious affiliation.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Reading that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 90,000 in 2001 to about 78,000 in 2011 (from 63% to 50%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just over 12,000 to about 11,000 (from 8.7% to 7.3%).

Just over 11,000 people (4.0%) said they were Muslim, up from just over 5,700 in 2001 (7.1%).

The population without a religion in Reading increased by 7.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Reading by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Reading

The percentage of Reading residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 92% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.7%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.2% in 2001. The percentage of Reading residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 5.5% to 5.2%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 91% in 2001 to 90% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Reading

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 75% said they were from the White ethnic groups. The figure increased from 75% in 2001

The number of people in Reading from the White ethnic groups remained close to about 120,000 between the last two censuses. This represents a change from 87% to 75% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Reading from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 8,500 in 2001 to about 21,000 in 2011 (from 5.9% to 14%). The number of residents from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 5,900 to just over 10,000 (from 4.1% to 6.7%).

About 6,200 people (2.4%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just under 3,400 in 2001 (4.0%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Reading decreased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Reading by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Reading residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.5% to 3.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (85%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72% in 2001. The percentage of Reading residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 11%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Reading decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Reading, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Reading working less than 16 hours increased from 2.0% to 3.2% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 12 (8.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Reading increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Reading, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Reading

The percentage of married people changed very little in Reading, while the proportion fell across England.

In Reading, the proportion of married people decreased from 43% in 2001 to 42% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England decreased from 51% to 47%.

Across the South East, the share of married people decreased from 53% to 49%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Reading increased from 41% to 43%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.7% to 10%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Reading residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.7% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Reading remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Reading by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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